2020 University Cup (Halifax, NS)

[UNB Bruins Fan]

If UNB wins I think everything is a bit more predictable...they’re #1, Sask is #2...I would be shocked if it isn’t UNB/OUA3, Sask/SMU, OUA1/UBC, OUA2/Acadia.

If Acadia wins then things might get a bit messy. Sask would be #1 and UNB #5 but I think 2/3 could go either way and that would affect 6-8.

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

So with UNB winning the AUS championship, they go in at #1 and should face the OUA bronze medal winner Western/Concordia.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

Yup. This is my best guess:

1 - UNB
2 - Sask
3 - Guelph/Ottawa
4 - Ottawa/Guelph
5 - Acadia
6 - UBC
7 - SMU
8 - Western/Concordia

Thursday afternoon - OUA1/UBC
Thursday night - Sask/SMU

Friday afternoon - UNB/OUA3
Friday night - Acadia/OUA2

 

[Rob]

So Acadia is set to play the Friday night game. I'm guessing the organizers will want the SMU game (probably against Saskatchewan) to be Thursday night to impact attendance.

UNB should go Thursday afternoon. I think the Reds will want the first game. Plenty of rest time after.

OUA winner vs UBC should be Friday afternoon.

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

That Saskatchewan/SMU match up should be a dandy! The Western Huskies will have their hands full with Eastern Huskies, esp on home ice.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

I’m guessing UNB (#1) and Acadia (#5) will be in the same pool so if Acadia plays Friday night that would mean UNB goes Friday afternoon (if the schedule is set up like every other year). Which means UNB’s reward for being the #1 seed? Having to play 3 games in 3 days to win.

I harp on this every year, but it continues to dumbfound me why they put the 1/8 and 4/5 games on one day and the 2/7 and 3/6 games on the other.

It should be 1/8 and 2/7 on the first day and then 3/6 and 4/5 on the other day with each side of the bracket maintaining consistent start times. So the 1/8 game (Thursday), 4/5 game (Friday), and their semi-final (Saturday) all play in the afternoon or night time slot while the 2/7 game, 3/6 game, and their semi-final all play in the other time slot.

That’s basically how the old 6 team format was set-up as it (ideally) gives an advantage to the higher seeds by giving them the extra day of rest. Obviously this may get adjusted due to host preferences, but that is a much better set-up than what we see now IMO.

 

[Prov1X]

Any idea now that all the participants are known when the schedule will be officially released?

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

Any idea now that all the participants are known when the schedule will be officially released?

Sunday

 

[Drummer]

Tournament Update

Team 7
The AUS Bronze Medal series ended on Wednesday night with SMU winning game 2 in 2OT to win the series 2-0. They will join the other six teams; Acadia; Saskatchewan, UBC, UNB, Ottawa, Guelph & SMU

Team Positioning (AUS)
UNB defeated Acadia in game 3 of the AUS Championship series. They will be ranked in the top three (likely #1 where they have been almost all year). Acadia is likely going to be #5

Team 8
Western defeated visiting Concordia to take the OUA Bronze title and will be the third OUA team joining the existing seven; Acadia; Saskatchewan, UBC, UNB, Ottawa, Guelph, SMU & Western

Team Positioning (OUA)
Guelph defeated Ottawa in a 3OT thriller and will be ranked in the top 3, likely #3 while Ottawa will be 4th, reserved for the OUA #2 seed.

 

[Drummer]

Tournament Update

Ranking and Seeding
The Top 10 ELO team will update the ELO 'rankings' and provide that list to the Tournament Seeding Committee who will apply the tournament 'seeding' rules. The top 3 teams (Conference Champions) are to be seeded 1-3 based on their ELO Rank. Spot #4 is reserved for OUA #2 (regardless of ELO). Spots 5-8 are for the two conference runner-ups, OUA 3rd place and the 'host' seed. These spots are to be positioned first using ELO, then the committee can move these teams (by no more than 2 spots) to avoid first-round opponents (and only 1st round opponents - they are not supposed to 'look down the road').

The Committee
The Seeding Committee has 5 members; one(1) non-voting Chairperson who is from the USPORTS office, one(1) member from each conference for a total of three(3) and the President of the Coaches Executive (if this person is coaching a team in the tournament, another member of the Coaching Executive will take their place).

 

[Drummer]

Personally - I see UNB/UBC instead of UNB/UWO.

I agree that UBC, as CW Runner-up, should get more love (6th behind ACD), but their ELO is the lowest of all teams in the tournament.

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

Personally - I see UNB/UBC instead of UNB/UWO.

I agree that UBC, as CW Runner-up, should get more love (6th behind ACD), but their ELO is the lowest of all teams in the tournament.

I will be a bit surprised if Western is seeded above UBC? Upsetting Alberta, and in Edmonton, is very rare in CanadaWest playoffs. IMO, I would love to see UBC match up against Guelph or Ottawa.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

UNB vs. UBC confirmed

Thursday
Sask/Western
Guelph/SMU

Friday
UNB/UBC
Ottawa/Acadia

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

UNB vs. UBC confirmed

Thursday
Sask/Western
Guelph/SMU

Friday
UNB/UBC
Ottawa/Acadia

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

I'm still a bit puzzled, as this brings a possible UNB vs Acadia in the semi's.
Same thing last year, Alberta vs Sask and UNB vs ST FX, after the teams just competed against each other in the Conference championships.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

You can’t look at possible match-ups “down the road” when it comes to seeding the teams.

Technically, #5 Acadia beating #4 Ottawa would be an upset. If the favorites all win you get Sask/Guelph and UNB/Ottawa in the semis, all non-conference games.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

So not only does the #1 seed UNB have to 3-in-3, the #2 seed Saskatchewan has to travel across the country and then play Thursday afternoon...I suspect they will arrive as early as possible to get acclimated to the time change.

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

So not only does the #1 seed UNB have to 3-in-3, the #2 seed Saskatchewan has to travel across the country and then play Thursday afternoon...I suspect they will arrive as early as possible to get acclimated to the time change.

Coach, Adolph had stated that"they will fly out on Monday" to Halifax.

 

[rethinking]

"Technically, #5 Acadia beating #4 Ottawa would be an upset. If the favorites all win you get Sask/Guelph and UNB/Ottawa in the semis, all non-conference games."

Despite the ELO favourites and the A and B ratings, I expect UNB, Acadia, Sask and St. Mary's in the semi-finals. If it happens, it would be impossible to avoid an AUS semi-final matchup.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

I’m predicting either Ottawa or Guelph win their first game.

 

[Rob]

UNB vs. UBC confirmed

Thursday
Sask/Western
Guelph/SMU

Friday
UNB/UBC
Ottawa/Acadia

The Sask/Western game and the UNB/UBC game should definitely have been flipped. The rankings mean almost nothing.

 

[Rob]

I’m predicting either Ottawa or Guelph win their first game.

It would be a pretty big upset if that happened IMHO

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

The Sask/Western game and the UNB/UBC game should definitely have been flipped. The rankings mean almost nothing.

The 1/8 and 4/5 game have to be on the same day though. As soon as UNB beat Acadia it was almost guaranteed they would be playing Friday afternoon since Acadia already said they were playing that night.

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

Saskatchewan had prepared the last 2 days, as they were certain that they would draw SMU.
Now playing Western, which was a surprise to them.

 

[Big Bad Jon]

Looking at the ticket availability online, gotta hope for some huge walk-up crowds. Acadia seems to have reserved 3 sections as hosts, but very few passes sold otherwise with tons of empty seats. My buddies and I did our part as our 5 tournament passes just came in mail.